Megan Yackovich founded Ballet Taos Academy in 2016 to help young dancers develop their passion for this classical art form. A former professional dancer who previously operated an academy in Colorado Springs, Yackovich fell in love with Taos while traveling through and decided to stay. Small business loans and assistance from the nonprofit lender The Loan Fund helped anchor Yackovich and her nonprofit academy in New Mexico.
Although ballet classes already existed in Taos when Yackovich arrived, an academy solely focused on older students — those aged 11 and up and working toward pre-professional training — did not. Ballet Taos Academy filled the gap with a school for young performers who aspire to attend prestigious ballet programs or pursue dance as a career.
While younger students are welcome (there is some beginning instruction for students ages 10 and under), students in the fifth- and sixth-level programs can spend more time training — about three hours a day, six days a week, in addition to show rehearsals. “It’s a lot of hours and commitment, more training and more focus,” Yackovich said. “Their goal is mastering skills. Some students want to pursue this as a profession.”
Ballet Taos also features an accomplished roster of guest faculty, including Navajo and Puerto Rican ballet dancer Jock Soto, who spent 24 years with the New York City Ballet and later moved to the nearby village of Eagle Nest after retirement. Other guest instructors include international dancer Maia Makhateli, daughter of renowned ballet master, choreographer, and former principal dancer Nikoloz Makhateli, who also occasionally joins the academy.
The academy’s focus and faculty have paid off for Ballet Taos students. Many have earned scholarships to study dance or secured apprenticeships with major companies and schools, including the Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Zikr Dance Ensemble, and ballet schools in Boston, San Francisco, and Denver. More than 100 students have gone on to professional dance companies or advanced training programs nationwide.
Yackovich, who employs 10 staff members, learned about The Loan Fund from a Small Business Development Center counselor while seeking help to build a studio and launch the nonprofit academy. Since then, she has returned to The Loan Fund for additional funding and support, particularly after the Covid-19 pandemic, and again to fund roof repairs.
“I would not be where I am without the business advice from Leroy Pacheco,” Yackovich said about The Loan Fund’s president and CEO, who led the organization for 18 years and passed away suddenly in 2025. “I’m not in a big city, but we’re doing big-city things. A lot of it was learning the business side of art — how to be grounded in the community and help everyone thrive.”
“I’ve never felt like The Loan Fund cared about me any less than their largest client,” Yackovich added. “Everyone I’ve worked with there makes you feel like a priority.”
Ballet Taos hosts five to six performances each year, including several during the summer. Its upcoming performance, The Adventures of Alice, takes place April 11 and 12, 2026, at the Taos Community Auditorium. Learn more and buy tickets here.
The Loan Fund is an award-winning nonprofit organization that provides loans, as well as consulting and training services, to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations across New Mexico. It focuses on offering solutions for clients who may not be able to secure financing from banks or credit unions. Learn more about The Loan Fund.